Traveling Fool

If you read the previous entry, you remember that I was not completely successful in photographing all of the pianos last week. I only had this week (through 6/30) to do it. Was the weather going to cooperate? Was work going to cooperate? Would the brewery cooperate and take the cover off? Since the Cleveland Cavaliers just won the NBA Championship, I have taken on a positive attitude, so I set off today with good vibes. This was a fun diversion the past couple of weeks, I hope you were able to see some of the pianos. Ta-da: Fulton Brewery - 1st try Fulton Brewery - 2nd try Fulton Brewery - SUCCESS

I have averaged over 11,000 steps a day since I started on this little project. On Wednesday I walked down near the river and the Guthrie Theater, the Mill City Ruins and back to the office at 2nd Avenue and 6th Street. After I was ready to head back, I looked up and saw my building and thought, well, hell, Gladys, what did you get yourself into? I wasn't lost, it just seemed so far away, when in reality, it was just about a mile. Today (Thursday) was really frustrating. I had hoped to finish this list with a visit to Fulton Brewery, but between me not following or completely understanding the directions from my GPS and getting totally turned around in the North Loop, it took me about twenty minutes longer to find my goal. Then on the return, I was like a salmon swimming upstream against the crowd of Twins fans (yes THE CROWD) going to the game. And then , I botched the picture, which I didn't even realize until I got back to the office. I felt like Charlie Brown when Lucy pul...

I continued on my Arthurian-like quest for the rest of Pianos on Parade. It was another gorgeous day and I must have walked about 4 miles (not kidding) from 2nd Ave. & 6th St. to 13th & LaSalle to the Convention Center, Peavey Plaza back to the IDS Center. I will admit, I'm going to be sad after I find them all and they are gone at the end of the month. I have seen a couple of people playing them, and I think I have seen others seeking them out for their own photographs. Anyway, here they are: 5th and Hennepin 5th & Hennepin YMCA Capella Tower Hilton Hilton IDS - love the skyline of Minneapolis Lakes & Legends on LaSalle - this was quite a walk Minneapolis Convention Center - Stone Arch Bridge Minneapolis Convention Center Peavey Plaza, near Orchestra Hall

You may have heard, but in case you missed it: the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS are the new champions of the NBA and have ended a 52 year drought of any major championships for the city (I say 'major' because the Cleveland Force of the now defunct Major Indoor Soccer League won a couple of championships back in the 1980s). I am a Clevelander out in the diaspora and have only been able to share my joy through Facebook comments and phone conversations with my brother. If the victory has piqued your interest in my hometown, there is a lot to do, and I'm not going to cover everything, but enough to give you a sense of what's there. The Home of Superman: Superman was created by two kids from Glenville Joe Schuster and Jerry Siegel. The area has some nice markers. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: it can be spendy for a family, and there are things I would like to see done differently, but no question music history is represented with great costumes, instruments, exhibit...

During the month of June, 24 pianos have been placed around downtown Minneapolis, available for people to play, if they wish, or just admire the creativity of local artists. I made an effort today, on the most beautiful day of the week, to get to as many as I could. I actually did pretty well considering I have a terrible sense of direction. It was kind of fun and I walked to some places I haven't been to in a while or ever, it's funny how there are little niches of green or sculptures hidden around the city. Here are the first ten or so. I hope to get the rest photographed next week. If you're in the Twin Cities, come on down, or up, or over. Thanks to the gentleman who let me take his photo

I'm not going anywhere soon, but my little brother (he's 22, so maybe not 'little' anymore) will be visiting next month. He hasn't been here since he was about 11 or 12 and now that he's older, there's so much more we can do besides go to Camp Snoopy and the Science Museum (nothing wrong with either of those, but I'm just saying). I'm a planner, and I'm trying to plan; he's not a planner and he wants to see how things go. Oh, this will be fun. I'm meeting him and our mom in Rockford, IL for the hand-off on July 4; whether I drive back that night or early the next morning will depend on how we're feeling. Then we'll see what's what. My thought is a day downtown and over to the Sculpture Garden for some good pics and a nice walk; maybe also over to the Stone Arch Bridge. I'd love to take him to Hell's Kitchen for lunch or dinner, I think he'd really like the vibe and the food. Maybe walk through the skyway over to Ta...

Fountain of Eternal Life, Cleveland, c. T. Backer This is the first entry of my third blog. Does that make me compulsive or just a person who likes to write? I really don't know, but I hope you enjoy it. This blog is called "Traveling Fool" which was my user name when I blogged about my around the world trip back in 2006. I love traveling, whether it's to some small town in Minnesota or a European capital. There's always an adventure or funny story. Over the last several years, most of my trips have been back to my hometown of Cleveland, but I have made other stops along the way. I recently renewed my passport and that got me thinking that perhaps I could branch out from my other blogs (about movies and the commuter life ) to cover traveling adventures, restaurants, tourist spots and general culture. So, without further ado, here are some observations from my most recent trip back to Cleveland. I almost always drive home and always by myself. It's rou...